Category: Second Grade

Garden Makeover Project

Three weeks ago, the first and second-graders adopted the garden adjacent to their classroom for a Garden Makeover Project. The “makeover” is 100% student-led and started with a hands-on exploration and assessment of the space with a few initial sketches. In session two, students then brainstormed using what they knew about gardening and what more they needed to learn. Once they had their ideas and questions, they invited our own gardening guest expert, Javier in to share his knowledge and refine their plans. In their third session, students ventured out on a field study to the Moraga Garden Center to get more advice from a local expert and refine their plans.

We look forward to seeing what students will produce as they apply what they have learned in science, social studies, math, and literacy to their Garden Makeover Project. Just as importantly, they will be flexing those mental muscles such as presentation skills, working as a team, assessment, reflection, and collaboration. We are expecting lots of fun, lots of mistakes, lots of discovery, lots of learning, and a great garden. #Saklanexperiential

Second Graders Take On Fairy Tales

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Second graders have now finished their Fairy Tale Unit with class presentations and a Friday Flag presentation.

 

 

The students showed how they worked on the writing process and what that involves. All their hard work has paid off and their amazing stories have now been published. The students enjoyed reading them to their friends in school. #SaklanCreative

Moving Up Day!

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Wednesday was a special day for our elementary campus. All of our PS – 5th grade students got to “move up” to next year’s grade for a portion of the morning. This has been an annual tradition so that the students get a snapshot of what next year could be like. The teachers planned special activities that highlighted their grade and enjoyed getting to know their rising students a little better. If your child “moved up” on Wednesday, please ask them all about it. I’m sure they will have something enthusiastic to share! #SaklanConnected

A Visit from a Feathered Friend

Tumbling down from the sky and landing in our play yard, our Owlets and Hoot Owls had a special visitor this week. They were deliriously excited, to say the least. A pigeon!  Close up and personal! They were amused and had many questions. Their curiosity was uncontainable. Look! He has a green bracelet! What is it? Why is it here? Is it hurt?

Our little Friend was tagged with his “name” and his owner’s information. After a little bit of detective work on the American Racing Pigeon Union site, we were able to find out that he was lost and where he came from.

To make a 2-day story short, our Feathered Friend is at home with Matt from Concord.  Matt says “Thank you” to our Owlets and Hoot Owls for showing compassion and concern for the safety and well-being of our Feathered Friend.

Lindsay Wildlife Comes to Saklan

On Wednesday, docents from the Lindsay Wildlife Museum came to school and did a wonderful presentation for the Kindergarten through Second Grade on Animal Habitat. The students discussed and saw many wild animals that live in our neighborhood and found out about their habitats and adaptations.

To help their learning, the students also saw and touched some wild friends: a tarantula, a gopher snake and a guinea pig. They learned so much and had a wonderful time!

All About Mammals

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This week, the amazing second graders concluded their Mammal Unit with their in-class presentations. First, the students researched facts about mammals.

Then, using note cards, presented an oral report on a mammal of their choice  for their parents and class. Great work second graders!

Student Council Elections

The Saklan School recently held an election for Student Council. The students campaigned by writing speeches and presenting them at Flag. The students voted later that day. We announced the results of the election to the middle school students on Tuesday. Here is a list of the elected officers.

Max B. (8th grade) and Harrison L. (8th grade)

Co-Presidents

                Jordan D. (6th grade)                                       Makenna C. (6th grade)

                           Secretary                                                                  Treasurer

Evy A. (6th grade) and Elishka G. (6th grade)

Co-Publicity Chairs

Lauren A. (8th grade) and Phoebe K. (6th grade)

Co-Activity Chairs

We are very proud of all the students who ran and we are excited for a great year!

Family Groups

 

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This month, Family Groups discussed collaboration: working as a team, taking turns, listening to ideas, doing your best, and encouraging others. Students read the book: The Dot, where a girl is encouraged to find out she is actually a great “dot” artist. She ends up encouraging others to find out what they are good and what they bring to the community. Students were then asked to create their own dot with something they are good at and bring to their community. Each family group worked together to build paper and sticky dot towers.

Life Sciences Field Trip

As the culmination of their Dinosaur Unit, the 2nd graders took a field trip to the UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology yesterday. Led by their awesome paleontology docent Danny Anduza, the students got an up-close and personal tour of some unique fossils and heard incredible stories that they will surely never forget. Danny himself showed them pictures of a triceratops fossil that he himself found when working in Montana as well as a small model of a new dinosaur that has been recently discovered and not yet named.

They learned that birds and dinosaurs are closely related, they got to see the impressive T-rex, and they got to ask many burning questions throughout the experience.

The boys then got to find their own fossils in samples taken from Montana. It was a fun and enlightening day in 2nd grade!